Having high-quality support and treatment options when undergoing chemotherapy is essential for cancer patients. As an oncologist, having the resources to provide advanced care to patients is necessary. Your patients depend on quality chemo treatments that address the issue and avoid worsening complications.
One method for treating chemo patients is Intrathecal Chemotherapy. The process of Intrathecal Chemotherapy requires quality equipment and resources, along with advanced knowledge of this type of cancer treatment. This article will explain the need for Intrathecal Chemotherapy and how to use the equipment for optimal treatment to help you provide effective patient care.
What is Intrathecal Chemotherapy?
Intrathecal Chemotherapy is a treatment for cancer patients whose cancer has spread to their brain or spinal cord or has a high likelihood of spreading to these areas. Intrathecal Chemotherapy is essential for addressing cancer in the central nervous system, as traditional chemotherapy is not as effective at targeting this area.
Traditional IV or mouth chemotherapy treatments are far less effective for treating cancer in the central nervous system due to the blood-brain barrier surrounding the patient's central nervous system to provide the brain with essential oxygen and nutrients. While the blood-brain barrier helps prevent toxins from entering the brain, it also limits the effectiveness of traditional chemotherapy treatments.
Intrathecal Chemotherapy is a targeted solution to treat cancer in the brain or spinal cord through a lumbar puncture delivered into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord by an interventional oncologist.
How is Intrathecal Chemotherapy Administered?
Intrathecal Chemotherapy is typically administered with a lumbar puncture, more commonly referred to as a spinal tap treatment. Spinal needles inject the treatment into the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) between the vertebrae in the patient’s lower spine.
What Are Post-Dural Puncture Headaches?
Post-dural puncture headaches (PDPH) are a common complication of spinal tap treatments. PDPH are headaches that occur following a lumbar puncture and are caused by the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaking at the puncture site. PDPH is a significant challenge for many doctors and patients, and avoiding this issue requires advanced spinal needles and equipment to mitigate the risk of CSF leaking.
The symptoms of PDPH include bilateral frontal or occipital headaches, nausea, neck pain, visual changes, dizziness, hearing loss, tinnitus, and radicular symptoms in the patient’s arms. The equipment quality used during Intrathecal Chemotherapy is crucial for optimal treatment, and it contributes to the interventional oncologist’s ability to safely retrieve CSF without multiple punctures and with a steady flow of CSF.
The Value of High-Quality Spinal Needles
A high-quality spinal tap needle is essential to mitigating risks associated with Intrathecal Chemotherapy and lowering the chance of a patient developing PDPH. The correct spinal needles will help doctors provide advanced patient care and achieve high success rates when administering Intrathecal Chemotherapy. Preventing bodily trauma from multiple punctures or leaking CSF is the simplest when oncologists select quality spinal needles.
Improve Intrathecal Chemotherapy Effectiveness with Gertie Marx Spinal Needles
Advanced spinal needles are essential for doctors to administer Intrathecal Chemotherapy safely and successfully. Options like the Gertie Marx Spinal Needles are essential to an effective Intrathecal Chemotherapy treatment.
Gertie Marx Spinal Needles are designed to separate dural fibers rather than punch holes in the fibers. The Gertie Marx Spinal Needles solution uses an atraumatic tip that creates the feeling of a distinctive "pop" when the dural fibers are punctured, allowing for confident practices and high success rates for Intrathecal Chemotherapy.
Reducing complications associated with PDPH is possible with Gertie Marx Spinal Needles, and this equipment can reduce PDPH rates to less than 1% when administered correctly. Companies like IMD Corp provide access to Gertie Marx Spinal Needles for oncologists seeking a safer solution to help their patients heal. IMD Corp’s various clinical studies prove the effectiveness of the Gertie Marx Spinal Needles.
Start reducing PDPH rates in your patients by contacting IMD today.